Metal-separator for ore-concentrating plants.



PATENTED DEC. 5, 1905.

H. o. KRAUSE. METAL SEPARATOR FOR ORE GONGENTRATING PLANTS;

APPLIOATION'IILED D110. 13, 19 02 UNiT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

v HENRY c. KRAUSE, or POINT MILLS, MICHIGAN. 'IVIETAL-SEPARAT O R ORE-OONCENTRATING PLANTS.

To whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY O. KicAUs'ma citizen ofv the United States, residing at Point Mills, in the county of Houghton and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal-Separators for Ore-Concentrating Plants, of which the fol- 1 kind shown in Letters Patent of the United I plant to another. A hopper or hollow body 6- States No.1'681,234, bearing date'August 27, 1901; and its main object is to separate from the pulp, sand, or gangue of crushed metalbearing ore free particles or" pieces of metal at such point or points in ore-concentrating plants as may be advantageous, and thus economize in' the apparatus, labor, and space required for the further treatment of the ore.

It consists,.essentially, in certain changes and improvements in and additions to the formerapparatus whereby it is adaptedfor use independently of an ore-crusher and to separate and remove free metal from the pulp,-

sand, or gang'ue, as above stated and ashereinafter particularly described, and point'e out in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings likeletters designate the same parts in both figures. I Figure l is an elevation and a section. on the line 1 1, Fig. 2, of a metal-separator embody;

ing my improvements; and Fig; 2 is an elevation and section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1.

The device is in practice attached to and used in connection with a launder, spout, or conduit a, in which crushed ore is conveyed with water from one part of an ore-concentrating is attached at the top to the bottom or lower partof said launder, spout, or conduita, in which an opening is made into said hopper. To the lower contracted end of the hopper is attached a discharge conduit and trap or hollow leg 0, which is preferably inclined laterally and terminates at its lower end in a vertical plane, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower end of p Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed. December 13, 1902. Serial No. 135,093.

Patented Dec. 5. 1905.

veniently fixed on a pivot-stem f, passing 5 5 through a stufling-box in the hopper and provided at its outer end, as shown in Fig. 2, with I an operating lever-arm g.

The hopper Z) is provided between the top and bottom with a funnel-shaped partition it, forming with the upper part thereof a receiving-basin and having a contracted discharge opening or orifice '11 at the bottom. A watersupply pipe j is connected by branches k and Z, having valves m and n, with the hopper 6, between the partition h and valve e, and with the discharge conduit and trap 0 below said valve 6. A sounding-tube 0 passes through one side of the hopper underneath the discharge-opening iand has its inner end closed and its outer end open and flaring, as shown in Fig. 2.

The device, with its contents, may be conveniently supported by a post or column p, as shown in Fig. 1. r

The discharge-conduit 0 preferably terminates at its lower end above the floor or ground, so that a bucket 41 or other portable receptacle may be placed underneath it, as shown in Fig. l, to receive the" metal when discharged from the apparatus.

The device operates as follows: The valve dloeing closed and the discharge conduit or trap 0 being filled with water, the valve e is opened and the valve 1?. closed. The valve m is then opened and water is admitted from the supply-pipe j through the branch pipe is into the lower part of the hopper b. An upward current of more or less force, depending upon the head or pressure of the water-supply and the degree of opening of the valve m, is thus produced through the discharge-opening 2' into the upper part of the hopper b, the

water ov'erflowinginto 'the launderor con' duit a; Free particles or pieces of metal carried with the crushed ore or pulp through the conduit a fall into the hopper and pass through the contractedopening iagainstthe upward current of water into the lower part of the hopper and thence 5 into the discharge conduit or trap 0. The force of the upward current of water through the hopper is so regulated that While pieces of free metal and heavier pieces of metal-bearing ore are permitted to drop through the opening 6 the sand, rock, and lighter pieces- 0f ore will be held up and caused to pass along overthe hopper to some point beyond for further treatment. The discharge conduit or trap c is emptied from time to time into a bucket or other receptacle by opening the valve d, the valve 6 being temporarily closed, so that the upward current of water through the hopper and the normal operation of the separator will not be interrupted, the lower part of the hopper 6 below the partition it serving temporarily as a receptacle for holding the metal and heavy concentrates falling through the discharge-opening t' while the trap c is being emptied. After said discharge conduit or trap has been emptied it is filled with water by opening the valve n, the valve d having been closed, so that when the valve 0 is again opened water will not be taken from the hopper 6, and rock or sand will not be permitted to pass through the discharge opening by reason of a temporary cessation or diminution of the upward current of water through said opening. By placing an ear to the outer end of the tube 0 the operator or attendant can determine by the sound of the material fallingthrough thedischarge-openingiagainst said tube whether the device is operating properly, and he is thus enabled to regulate the supply of water so as to produce the best results.

Various changes in the minor details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made within the spirit and intended scope of the invention.

I claim 1. In a metal-separator for ore-concentrating plants the combination of a hopper having a funnel-shaped partition which terminates at the bottom in a contracted dischargeopening between the top and bottom of the hopper and forms with the lower part of the hopper a receptacle for metal and heavy eoncentrates passing through said dischargeopening when the opening at the lower end of the hopper is closed, and a trap connected with the lower part of said hopper and provided at its upper and lower ends with valves, and a water-supply connection leading into said hopper between said partition and the upper valve, substantially as described.

2. In a metal-separator for ore-concentrating plants the combination of a hopper having a funnel-shaped partition which terminates in a contracted discharge-opening between the top and bottom of the hopper and forms with the lower part of the hopper a receptacle for metal and heavy concentrates passing through said discharge-opening when the opening at the lower end of the hopper is closed, a trap connected with the lower part of said hopper and provided at its upper and lower ends with valves, a water-supply connection leading into said hopper between said partition and the upper valve, and a watersupply connection leading into said trap and provided with a valve, substantially as described.

3. In ametal-separator for ore-concentrating plants the combination of a receiving-basin having an orifice through its bottom, a launder or ore-conduit passing across and opening at the' bottom into the upper part of said basin, a hollow leg connected with the lower part of said basin, means for closing said leg, a valve for closing communication between said leg and basin, and a water-supply pipe leading into the separator between said basin and said valve, substantially as described.

4. In a metal-separator for ore-concentrating plants the combination of a receiving-basin having an orifice through its bottom, a launder or ore-conduit passing across and opening into the upper part of said basin, a hollow leg connected with the lower part of said basin, means for closing said leg, a valve for closing communication between said leg and basin, and a water-supply connection leading into the separator below said basin, substantially as described.

5'. In a metal-separator for ore-concentrating plants, the combination of a hopper having a partition with a contracted dischargeopening between the top and bottom of the hopper, a launder or ore conduit passing across and opening at the bottom into the upper part of said hopper, a water-supply connection leading into the hopper below said partition, means for regulating the supply of water through said connection, a dischargeconduit connected with the lower part of said hopper and provided with a valve, and a sounding-tube projecting into said hopper below said discharge-opening, substantially as described.

6. In a metal-separator for ore-concentrating plants, the combination of a hopper having a partition with a contracted dischargeopening between the top and bottom of the hopper, a launder or ore conduit passing across and opening at the bottom into the upper part of said hopper, a water-supply connection communicating with said hopper below said partition, means for regulating the flow of water through said connection, a discharge-conduit connected with the lower part of said hopper and provided with a valve, and a sounding-tube passing through the wall of said hopper below said discharge-openingand having an open flaring outer end and aclosed inner end, substantially as described.

7. In aseparatorof the class described, a receiving-basin having an orifice through its bottom, a hollow leg mounted beneath said basin, means for closing said leg, a valve for closing communication between said leg and basin, and a water-supply pipe between said basin and said valve, for the purpose set forth.

8. In a separator of the class described, the

' combination with a hollow body, of a perforated partition in the upper end thereof, forming a separating-basin, a hollow leg communicating with the lower end of said hollow body, means for opening and closing said hollow leg, a valve arranged between the hollow leg and the hollow body, a water-supply pipe leading into said hollow body between the 

